John Smith

Profile & Legacies Summary

Biography

Though associated with the counterclaim of the Smiths on Jamaica, St Elizabeth: 535A-C, not clear whether John Smith benefited directly. See claim notes.

Banker and politician.

Son of Abel Smith, Nottingham banker and MP for Aldborough, St Ives, and St Germans, and the brother of George, Robert, 1st Baron Carrington, and Samuel Smith.

Married:

(1) Sarah Boone, daughter of Thomas Boone, commissioner of customs. 1 December 1793-23 September 1794, when Sarah died;
(2) Mary Tucker, daughter of Lt.-Col. Martin Tucker. 6 January 1800-9 April 1809, when Mary died. Two sons: John Abel Smith (1802–1871), who succeeded him as MP for Midhurst, and Martin Tucker Smith (1803–1890), who became MP for Wycombe;
(3) Emma Leigh, daughter of Egerton Leigh of West Hall, High Leigh, Cheshire. 2 daughters.

On his death, his real estate was divided between John Abel Smith and Martin Tucker Smith, and left personalty sworn under £250,000.

‘One of the City’s most eminent bankers’; he and his brother George were in effective control of the London bank of Smith, Payne and Smith from 1799; he was also on the boards of the family concerns in Derby, Hull and Nottingham.

Many of his speeches in Parliament were concerned with banking and financial matters, his views taking a Whig and Ricardian outlook. He was also concerned with the conditions of the poor and adopted a broadly sympathetic view of Irish issues. He was also pro-Catholic Relief, Parliamentary Reform, the rights of dissenters and Jews, and anti-slavery. He was among the ‘staunch friends’ of the abolition of the slave trade, 1807 and in 1830 was presenting petitions calling for the abolition of slavery. For some more details see political legacies.

In 1806, Smith served as a Manager of the newly formed London Institution. He was also closely involved with the establishment and funding of University College London. (See Cultural legacies.]

His commercial activities included being a director of the West India Dock Company (1804-1811, 1817-1824, 1828-1830, 1832-34, 1837-1838), deputy chairman, 1812-1813, and chairman, 1814. He was also a founder and director of the Imperial Insurance Co. (Imperial Fire Insurance Co.) in 1813-31; 1831-1834, 1836-1840.

His great-grandson Vivian Hugh Smith was created Baron Bicester in 1938.